Mei closed the doors and windows, and silence reclaimed the small shack, broken only by the steady rhythm of Gyutaro's breathing in the corner. To save on lamp oil, even the faint flicker of the candle had been snuffed out.
However, aided by the thin slivers of moonlight, Mei could still vaguely make out Izumi Kiyowa's silhouette. Hearing him speak, she hesitated for a moment before quietly walking over to him. She sat down in a seiza position, keeping a small distance between them, her azure eyes reflecting Kiyowa's slightly blurred figure in the gloom.
"Um... go ahead. I'm listening."
Mei's voice was soft, filled with absolute trust. Now that the light had dimmed, it seemed even the guardedness and pretenses in the depths of her heart had relaxed.
Because of his high proficiency in Sun Breathing, Kiyowa instinctively circulated the technique in the darkness, concentrating his strength into his eyes. Bolstered by Sun Breathing, he could see her face clearly even in the dead of night.
As he looked at the girl's delicate, earnest features, an inexplicable sense of responsibility welled up within him. At this moment, he was likely Mei's only pillar of support. If he were to leave, she would inevitably fall back into that living hell. Someone like her didn't deserve such a fate.
In Kiyowa's eyes, Mei was like a blank sheet of paper; she would become whatever color you painted her with. Even Muzan's assessment of her was merely "a child whose head doesn't work well." It could be said that even after she eventually became an Upper Rank demon, she retained the temperament of a child.
Gyutaro had protected her too well. It was because a samurai had insulted Gyutaro that she had used the hairpin given by that very samurai to stab him in the eye. "Pure and untainted spirit" might be the best way to describe her. Such a person, with a little guidance, would absolutely never turn into a demon!
While making this internal vow, Kiyowa also began to organize the information Rengoku Mujuro had provided.
First, Mujuro mentioned that powerful demons might be coming here soon and specifically warned them not to go out at night. Based on Mujuro's tone and expression, the strength of these demons was likely formidable.
Although he didn't know Mujuro's exact current strength, based on the man's comment about working hard to become a Hashira, he was likely a Rank Kinoe (Grade A) swordsman. Otherwise, he wouldn't have brought up the concept of a Tsuguko. A demon capable of making a near-Hashira level slayer so cautious was almost certainly one of the Twelve Kizuki.
While the Hashira of Tanjiro's era were known as the strongest generation in the Corps' history, it didn't mean the Hashira of the past were weaklings. A Hashira, by definition, was at least capable of rivaling a Lower Moon.
For the current Kiyowa, encountering one of the Twelve Kizuki would be a death sentence. Although he had mastered the techniques of Sun Breathing, his physical constitution was currently no different from an ordinary person's. It was like an infant possessing world-class martial arts skills—without a strong body to execute them, the techniques were effectively meaningless.
What he needed most right now was time. If he had enough time to temper his body, he would have the strength to hold his own against any demon up to the level of Upper Rank Four.
The power gap between the Upper Ranks was massive. Upper Rank Six was roughly equivalent to a strong Hashira. Upper Rank Five and Four generally required Hashira-level combatants to manifest their Marks. As for Upper Rank Three, it was nearly impossible to win a one-on-one fight without a Mark and a Bright Red Nichirin Sword. From Upper Rank Two onwards, one likely needed the Transparent World, a Red Blade, and a Mark all active simultaneously to stand a chance.
As for Kokushibo, Kiyowa didn't even consider a one-on-one fight for the time being. To be honest, the rest of the Twelve Kizuki combined might not even be able to defeat Kokushibo alone.
Beyond the sheer gap in combat power, a battle involving the Twelve Kizuki would undoubtedly draw Muzan's attention. If Kiyowa fought one, his use of Sun Breathing would almost certainly be discovered.
Therefore... joining the Demon Slayer Corps was a necessity. At the very least, he needed to learn other Breathing Styles so he could avoid using Sun Breathing until his strength had matured.
After all, his breathing technique was different from Tanjiro's Hinokami Kagura. No matter how talented Tanjiro's ancestor Sumiyoshi had been, he had only imitated the form of Sun Breathing; the internal flow of the breathing itself wasn't something that could be discerned by the naked eye. This was likely why Muzan hadn't focused on Tanjiro initially—Tanjiro's Hinokami Kagura, in terms of both power and posture, was merely a resemblance. It wasn't until Tanjiro awakened his ancestor's memories—essentially viewing Yoriichi's demonstration through a spiritual link—that he truly understood the essence of Sun Breathing.
Many thoughts swirled in Kiyowa's mind, but they boiled down to a few priorities:
First: He had to join the Demon Slayer Corps, but not yet. He had to wait until his strength grew, or at least until Gyutaro recovered. He couldn't leave Mei here alone.
Second: If he joined the Corps, he had to take Mei and Gyutaro with him. Although Mei's talent in the original story wasn't exceptionally high, it was possible she could develop a Breathing Style suited for her and become stronger. If Gyutaro joined, given his combat genius and abilities, he would at least become a Hashira. Perhaps he could become the "Poison Hashira"? Of course, that would depend on their own wishes.
Third: The living expenses for the next few days, medical costs, and moving fees for when they joined the Corps... all of these needed to be considered. While he could simply ask Rengoku Mujuro—who would surely give it to him—Kiyowa didn't want to owe too many favors. He would try other methods first.
Fourth: Avoid conflict with demons as much as possible for now. His strength wasn't ready, and exposing Sun Breathing was out of the question.
Fifth: Seek out Rengoku Mujuro to learn sword techniques and breathing methods to try and mask his own Sun Breathing.
Sixth: When the time comes to act, act! Don't be indecisive after accepting someone's kindness. Mei's kindness was a debt, and Mujuro's kindness was a debt. If Mujuro truly found himself outmatched, Kiyowa would not stand by and watch.
Having straightened out his thoughts, Kiyowa spoke softly to the nervous Mei beside him.
"Mei... you heard what Mr. Rengoku said earlier. Yoshiwara is no longer safe. I think..."
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Demon Slayer: Starting by Snatching Daki(83 Chapter- Ongoing)
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